featured blog posts

One of the great things about doing the television series 'Young Drunk Punk' (set in Calgary in the '80s) is that I get to share the music that was so formative for me. The music that propelled me into the world. Into comedy and to Toronto. More importantly, it's really satisfying to have people hear things from this underrated era.

Instead of expecting socially relevant music or artistic works from mainstream artists, it is high time for us to give our support to cultural workers or artists whose songs and other productions are the voice of the voiceless.

As we mark the singer's 80th birthday, let's remember not only the Elvis of our dreams, but also the Elvis of history, whose recordings and performances changed popular music forever. Even today, Elvis the icon is everywhere -- bigger in death, it sometimes seems, that he was in life

I was intrigued by 'Empire,' thanks to Fox cramming ads for it down our throats. I wasn't sure if it was going to be brilliant or trash TV -- I just knew either way I was in. So pressing play on the pilot, I was dubious at best. But good lawd! That wariness was quickly erased with each passing scene, because yes, 'Empire' is that good.

I've realized balance is probably something that DJs need more than people with normal jobs, sunlit ones where you can just eat a Chop't salad at your desk and hit Soul Cycle after your last meeting of the day. A DJ's cubicle is everyone's party, and that's not a workspace where balance is easy to achieve.

Eleven years before the release of Nirvana's juggernaut Nevermind during the apex of glam metal, Sub Pop Records was a fledgling Xerox-and-X-Acto-knife-produced fanzine that championed local music scenes across the country.

A bounty of exemplary singer/songwriters have embraced their native New York as their core inspiration and a powerful component to their personal brands. Let's look at five top pop artists among the many greats who personify the grit, elegance and power of their beloved city.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge Madonna fan. I have been since I was a wee lad dancing around my bedroom lip-syncing to "Borderline". In honor of her 13th album release, here are 13 underrated Madonna songs.

On a positive tip, Michael Keaton made a comeback, U2 released one of their best albums in decades (don't hate), and Chris Pratt became a movie star. On a downside, we lost way too many talented people this year from Robin Williams to Joan Rivers to Philip Seymour Hoffman.

I consider the symphony as cool as Radiohead, Boards of Canada or Ele (my new favourite artist). Recently, I spoke with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and they shared with me the top 10 reasons why the symphony is cool.